COMMUNICATION

SKILLS FOR
CUSTOMER CARE
INTRODUCTION

• Communication Skills for Customer Care refers to the set of abilities that enable effective interaction
with customers to meet their needs, resolve issues, and enhance their overall experience. These skills
encompass verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, empathy, and problem-solving
• Element of business communications in the present world is active listening when dealing with customers.

Importances
 Stronger Relationships Customers’ silence gives the company an assurance or faith that the company cares for them
and this leads to the loyalty of the customers
 Reduced Misunderstandings It is an essential practice that prevents assumption that could result in erroneous
conclusions from being made.
 Improved Problem-Solving by mere listening to a customer, you are in a position to understand the core cause of the
complaint.
OVERVIEW OF KEY SKILLS TO BE DISCUSSED

• Overview of key skills to be discussed: Active listening

• Empathy
• Clear and concise language
• Positive tone
• Non-verbal communication
• Question-asking techniques
• Written communication
• Handling difficult conversations
• Cultural sensitivity
• Effective use of technology
ACTIVE LISTENING

• Active listening requires you to listen attentively to a speaker, understand what they're saying, respond and reflect on what's being
said, and retain the information for later
• Key Techniques To Cultivate Active Listening Skills, As Outlined In Recent Research And Articles
 Be Fully Present Avoid multitasking, do not look at the phone, keep an eye on the customer and slightly bend forward.
 Mirror Nonverbal Cues Be a mirror of the speaker nonverbally. Nodding your head in agreement, using open body language that doesn't
appear aggressive, and maintaining a relaxed facial expression all convey that you're actively listening
 Ask Clarifying Questions No-nonsense questions are great since they do not only allow the customer to give detailed information but also
assure that as the representative, you get the customer’s point of view (Hearit, 2020).
 Summarize and Paraphrase Summarize what you have been told in your own words but do not take time to do so. This shows that you are
listening and confirms what the customer is going through.
 Listen to Understand, Not Respond Do not attempt to cut the customer short or even start preparing your own answer as they are talking.
Listen to them properly so as to understand the message that they are conveying fully
EMPATHY IN CUSTOMER
COMMUNICATION
Development of empathy is considered one of the pillars of active listening. An article in the Journal of Service Research which was published in 2023
shows that customers’ emotions have to be recognized. By validating their feelings, businesses can build stronger customer relationships

Here's how to understand customer perspectives:

 See Things From Their Viewpoint it is best to just step back and look at the situation from
the customers viewpoint. What do they desire, fear and get angry at? Which factor would have
made them to access your services?
 Acknowledge Their Feelings Acknowledge the client’s emotions by using sentences such as,
“I would imagine you could be angry at this point..” This makes the customer know that you
care for their opinion
CLEAR AND CONCISE LANGUAGE

While communicating with an audience, one should use simple language, free from difficult terms or points of discussion and
argumentation.

o Key Aspects To Keep Your Message Clear For Customers

 Explain Technical Terms if Necessary If it is necessary to use a technical term, then use it and explain this term according to the customer’s perspective.
 Use Everyday Language It is advisable to use words and phrases that are easily intelligible by the general populace of the country.
 Logical Flow Ensure that your message is in chronological order when organizing it. Organize your answer in the form of a small story,
starting from the context of the topic and possible developing into possible measures and future actions
 Bullet Points and Lists When writing detailed information or when expressing some points It is recommended to use bullet points and
numbered lists.
POSITIVE LANGUAGE AND TONE

When it comes to the issue of its communication strategy the language adopted and the tone is critical in
determining how the customers will respond to it. (Syed, Bashir & Fatima2022). This means that when
speaking or writing, one should use positive language
Benefits of using positive language
 Builds Trust This way of speaking ensures that the customer receives a constructive approach, which leads
to the development of a healthy relationship with the said customer.
 Encourages Collaboration Positive language helps to maintain the focus on the collaboration with
achieving a common goal.
 Promotes Customer SatisfactionIt was seen that a positive tone of communication makes the customers
happier which in turn, increase the overall level of satisfactions.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication involves all the techniques of communication other than the oral means of conveying information.refers to actions and
gestures such as using one’s hands and posture, the face and eyes, and even lack of speech.

Importance in Face-to-Face Interactions

 Builds Rapport Basically, a smile and willingness to engage the customer by leaning forward gives the
customer the feeling of rapport. This makes them comfortable and creates an environment that is more
conducive to interaction that is trust inspired.
 Reflects Emotions body language which is part of non-verbal communication, can give an insight into
the true state of the feelings of the person that one interacts with
 Enhances Understanding It may help to know that there is a world of communication besides words
and that there are many ways you can enhance your message with simple physical behaviors.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Key non-verbal cues

Here are some key nonverbal cues to be aware of when interacting with customers face-to-face
 Facial Expressions A smiling posture makes others feel comfortable to approach while a scowling or a knitted
forehead may make people avoid and/or dislike their competitor
 Body Language Evident from the uncrossed arms on the caring’s male figure, this WoS indicates openness and
readiness to embrace matters.
 Posture It is also very important that good posture should be maintained in order to depict confidence and
professionalism in any given opportunity (Burgoon & Guerrero 2021
 Eye Contact Staring at the listeners is very importance since it signifies that one is paying attention to whoever
is speaking. However, do not look too fixedly at the customer as this makes the feeling of aggression appear.
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Soliciting the proper questions go hand in hand with active listening and obtaining data from the customers. (Ferns & Countryman
2022). This pertains to the type of questions that you ask as this determines the direction and the extent of information that you are
able to gather
There are two main types of questions you can use when interacting with customers
 Open-ended questions They compel the customer to offer much elaborated replies to the questions posed to him or her.
 Closed-ended questions These questions allow only yes/no answer or restrict the choice of possible answers in some way

Here are some probing techniques you can use to gather

more information from customers after they answer your initial question
 Clarification Paraphrase to assess comprehension by summarizing what the other person said
 Paraphrasing Paraphrase the concerns the customer is expressing to him to demonstrate a listen.
 Open-ended follow-up questions Attempt to construct follow up questions based on what the customer has said.
EFFECTIVE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Writing skills for instance written communication among customers is very crucial in present day society. Such contacts include emails, chats, and online
messages if any in the process of interaction. The ability to write professionally guarantees that the message that is being passed is understandable, brief, and
bears a professional nature .

Email and Chat Etiquette

Here are key principles for maintaining proper email and chat etiquette:
 Professional Tone When writing a response to a frustrated customer, do not let the frustration show in your writing maintain the professional manner. Do not use slang or
informal language.
 Proofread Carefully onemust read the message several times before sending it out to ensure that there were no typographical errors.
 Respond Promptly Aim for the timely response in case of customer inquiries as this is a significant factor of their satisfaction.
Writing Good and Brief Answers
Avoid the use of jargon and long complicated sentences that are hard to comprehend by readers of the piece of writing.
 Get to the Point Quickly: Start your email or message with the objective of the communication. Don’t hide the important information in large paragraphs
of introduction.
 Structure Your Message Logically: You need to group your message in a logical sequence.
 Focus on the Customer's Needs: Do not use, vague canned messages, to mean each customer has unique needs to be met.
HANDLING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

There is always bound to be some form of disagreement during the course of the show as the show entails customer service.
Here are strategies for de-escalation and maintaining professionalism under pressure
 Acknowledge Their Frustration Acknowledge the customer’s feelings using words such as “I can see why you are disappointed. .. ” This respates the
feelings of the customer and shows you have been listening to them.
 Focus on Solutions: The complain has to be redirected to find the solution to the problem. They categorize their language into request-to-help,
 Offer Options: Offer the customer as many options surrounding an issue as is possible. It makes them independent and is able to go for the option that
they wish to go for.
 Use Apologies Strategically: It should also be stated that a simple apology is one of the ways to calm the conflict
 Stay Calm: This means that first of all, one should remain polite regardless of the attitude of the customer, for instance, if the customer is abusive. Calm
down and do not start arguing as that would make the situation even worse.
 Use a Professional Tone: Do not get offended by any response given by the customer and it is important to show professionalism while answering the
customer.
 Document the Conversation: Mention the major points discussed in the conversation to refer to them at a later time ensuring nothing important has been
missed.
 Know When to Escalate: If you cannot solve the problem on your own, then learn when or when not to take the problem to the next level with a superior
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN COMMUNICATION

People today live in a globalized world and expect others to grasp the cultural differences in their
interactions (Irwin, 2020).. The customers of any company are diverse in their communication, attitude,
beliefs and all that is related to business interaction.
How to cultivate awareness of cultural differences
 Tailor Your Language: Express ideas in an easily understandable and simple manner
 Be Mindful of Humor: Since humor is a relative concept, it has the potential of differing from culture to culture.
It is best to steer clear from using humor that is for some reason provocative or insulting in a way.
 Respect Non-verbal Cues: Facial expressions and gestures also also can convey different messages depending on
culture. Such variations should be considered when deciphering the customers’ message.
 Avoid Assumptions: Never assume that the customer is Hispanic or that he prefers the ‘taco/wall’ option.
Professionalism should be observed in terms of not stereotyping people.
USING TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY

Technology has become an essential tool for delivering and managing modern customer service (Kumari & Lele
2023).
How to leverage technology effectively while maintaining a personal touch
Leveraging CRM Systems
CRM, a Customer Relation Management also has the ability to increase your interaction with your customers.
 Personalized Communication: By the use of CRM systems you are able to know history and preferences of
customers and thus be in a position to address their needs.
 Improved Efficiency: CRM thus engage in activities that are repetitive such as following up on customers through
email or taking appointments and leave you with more fulfilling tasks to handle involving the customer.
 Data-driven Insights: CRM systems help to gather useful data and analytical information about customers’
communication
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Customer service is a process that is actively used and that can never be optimally refined. Persistent improvement and the solicitation of
feedback will guarantee that even a customer’s demands
 Product Knowledge: Make sure that your team is knowledgeable of the products or services being offered to answer the customers’
questions.
 Communication Skills: Teach employees the proper way of listening, speaking without ambiguity, and negotiating in communication
conflicts.
 Cultural Sensitivity: Address newly hired and current employees on multicultural and cross cultural communication strategies for the
consumers on their services.
 New Technologies: Ensure you inform your team on the trending technologies on customer service and how to utilize them.
 Respond to Feedback: Appreciate customer feedback positive and negative. Assure them that their voice is important as well as
explain what you are planning to do with the information they have provided.
 Implement Changes: He/She should act according to the received feedback and modify the communication trends and activities.
MEASURING COMMUNICATION
EFFECTIVENESS
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Monitoring of such indices as KPI helps to assess the efficiency of the used communication tools. (Bhatt,
Zhang,Fogliato & Xiang 2021, July).
Here are some relevant KPIs for customer service communication
 Customer Satisfaction Scores: Customer satisfaction, and the actual rating given by the customers, gives insight of how the
customers perceived the communication experience.
 Average Resolution Time: The prospect response time is also another important area that depicts how efficient a business
organization is in handling its customers’ concerns.
 First Contact Resolution Rate: The ability to address clients’ concerns is well measured by the each call solved rate which is
the ratio between issues solved first time that customer contacted the center.
 Net Promoter Score (NPS): The NPS is a tool used to assess customer-oriented aspects and the customer’s willingness to
recommend your company
CONT-MEASURING COMMUNICATION
EFFECTIVENESS
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Satisfaction surveys with customers are direct methods of assessing the perception of customers towards your
communication.
Here are some tips for using them effectively
 Simple and Easy to Complete: To increase the response rate when using surveys, make the surveys short and simple to
do.
 Multiple Channels: Administer surveys through email, phone or through pop-up displays once the interaction is
complete to cover a large audience.
 Open-ended Questions: Ask the more general questions accompanied by multiple-choice answers to be able to receive
the general opinion and specific experiences of the customer.
 Analyze and Take Action: It should be used to analyze survey data and understand where improvements are needed.
CONCLUSION

To enhance your customer care communication skills

 Practice active listening in daily interactions: This involves fully focusing on the speaker, understanding
their message, responding thoughtfully, and remembering key information
 Seek feedback from colleagues and customers: Regularly ask for honest opinions about your performance
from both coworkers and clients
 Role-play challenging customer scenarios: Work with colleagues to act out difficult situations you might
encounter with customers.
 Attend workshops or training sessions on communication: Participate in professional development
opportunities focused on enhancing your communication skills.
 Read books on customer service and communication: Explore literature that offers in-depth knowledge and
strategies for effective customer interactions.
REFERENCES

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Technologies and Optimization (Trends and Future Directions)(ICRITO) (pp. 590-594). IEEE
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Communication).
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• Kumari, S., & Lele, V. (2023). Synergy of CRM and Industry 4.0: Advancing Supply Chain Management and Customer Experience via Digital Innovations. SSRG International
Journal of Industrial Engineering, 10(1), 20-25.
• Irwin, H. (2020). Communicating with Asia: Understanding people and customs. Routledge.
• Burgoon, J. K., Manusov, V., & Guerrero, L. K. (2021). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
• He, Z., Liu, S., Ferns, B. H., & Countryman, C. C. (2022). Pride or empathy? Exploring effective CSR communication strategies on social media. International journal of
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